Questions about Becoming a Developer

Question

I am a nontraditional student (in my 30's) that is trying to become a professional programmer in the relatively near future. I am trying to collect some information for this process for my personal use and also for an essay I am writing for school.

If you have some time and are a current developer or recruiter please complete the questionnaire at: https://goo.gl/forms/TDnnLQ9Bkr0UqFcI2. Otherwise, I welcome any advice on the topic here as well.

Thanks!